Eternal Flame
part 7
"Nice spark you've got there," the voice commented rather briefly, as she slowly etched her slender frame a few steps further.
Cole Turner quickly pushed up the sleeves to his tattered sweater, as he turned toward the voice rather curiously, raising a dark eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"
"The fire?"
"Oh."
"I mean, I'm actually really impressed."
"Are you?"
"Well....you obviously know your way around these things. Almost like you've been in this kind of situation before..."
"Maybe that's because I have." He paused a moment, regarding her with a small smile. "You...really have to make do with what you know, if you seriously expect to survive out here."
"Survive?"
"Look...I-" He quietly bit his lower lip, as he threw a small bunch of weeds into the flame, his hands giving his jeans a slight pat. He laughed almost tragically, as he carefully winced. The piece of clothing was now clean off his self inflicted injury, and the knife wound had strangely healed itself completely. "I wasn't exactly honest with you when I told your kids the story about that curse."
Her gaze fell upon his arm, as she followed his eyes, nonchalently taking a step back, her hands resting loosely upon her hips. "How..."
"Magic?" he sided, shrugging.
"So you can heal yourself and throw balls of...."
"Energy. Seems that way, doesn't it?" he added, laughing rather quietly.
"So what's the story on the curse?"
"What?"
"Did you just make that up too?"
"And once again....you're apparently more off than you realize," he reasoned softly. "Granted, I've done my share of lies in the past, but I've also done more than you could ever know to make up for it."
"Try me."
"While researching a client of mine, I think I may have stumbled onto something that was meant to stay buried."
"Such a cliche."
"Excuse me?"
She calmly rolled her eyes. "Buried, how?"
"I think the important thing- the part that you're still missing?" He frowned, as he stared absentmindedly into the distance, his blue eyes masking their emotion. "I went through that damn portal to save your ass. And if you're going to continue to be this ungrateful little brat about it-"
"Oh. Right. Yeah. Like I'm really going to just accept that, when you couldn't even stand me in the museum."
"No, I think you've got that backwards."
"Really?"
"She still lives," he whispered. "And she's just waiting for the right time to make her next move."
Chloe sat down next to him, her blonde hair illuminated by the glow from the fire, her hands folded securely in front of her. She studied him through the darkness, her expression unreadable. "She?"
"Imagine waiting an eternity to get back what you think the world owes you."
"I get that this woman must have been deeply disturbed. But it's no reason to come down on one guy who treated her bad."
"She was probably hurt and confused. It's only natural to-"
"Please don't tell me you're actually sticking up for her. You don't even know her."
"And either do you. But that's not going to make it any easier to dodge her attempts, is it?"
"Mr. Turner-"
"Cole."
"Cole," she corrected herself, slightly flushed, as she hesitantly placed both hands a bit closer to the flame, struggling to regain her sense of warmth. Shivering, she began to rub them together rather nervously. "Love can only push someone so far. It can't extend beyond the prospect of lust- and if what you're implying about that story was altogether true, I'd say her spirit still haunts his in such a way that won't...can't allow him to rest."
"Oh, her form's anything but transparent. And strange as it may be for you to comprehend, we have to find her first. If she finds a host-"
"But I can't possibly be of any use here," she reminded him.
"Maybe not now," he assured her. "But in time, who knows, right?"
"Daddy?"
Cole's attention immediately focused itself on his daughter, as she came up from beneath the shadows, her face drawn into a forlorn expression, her brown hair somewhat dishevelled. She tugged tiredly at the belt loops of her jeans, as she wandered up to him, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
"I miss mommy," she whispered.
He carefully cradled her short frame to his chest, as he gave her a tight squeeze, throwing her a big smile. He planted a soft kiss within her hair, as he offered her another reassuring glance. "I know. I do too."
"I'm sorry I touched the necklace. I promise that if you take me to another museum, I'll never do it again."
Cole laughed, in spite of the situation. "Oh, sweetie, it wasn't you. There just happens to be a curse involved in all of this, and it most likely got through to those artifacts."
"You mean a bad person said a spell?"
"Something like that," he told her. "Only, I don't think reversing it would help in this case. Where's Catrina?"
"Asleep," the little girl proclaimed a bit too cheerfully, as she gave her father a huge smile. "I think she talks too much, Daddy. Don't you?"
"Well, don't tell her that. It'll only give her cause to debate it. And that could go on for hours," he remarked casually, rolling his eyes.
"You don't like her either?"
"I never said I didn't like her, I just think she needs to slow down."
"Slow down?"
"She's breaking into college at a first grade level. How's that for complex?"
"Well, I think she's intimating," Alex sided, sticking out her tongue.
"I think you mean, intimidating," he corrected her, giving her another playful squeeze.
"Yeah, that's it."
"Ally, as long as we're here...." He brought her face to face with him, as he looked deep into her eyes, shedding their feeling of contentment upon her. "I'm not..I won't let anything happen to you. If I can help it, you have my solemn promise in that. Don't ever think otherwise. This doesn't change anything. Okay?"
"I already knew that, Daddy. You could never stop being a hero. It's what you do."
"Oh, you mean besides loving you to death?"
She giggled, as he reached over to tickle her. "Are you coming to sleep soon? I made a spot for you on the right side of the cave. Catrina and me are on the left."
"I should be there in a minute." Throwing his sweater over his head, he gently straightened out his white t-shirt, as he handed the piece of clothing over to his daughter. "You can take that for a pillow for now, and we'll figure out something else tomorrow, alright?"
"Do I have to share it with Catrina?"
"Not if she doesn't wake up," he told her in a whisper.
Laughing, she began to walk back to the small cave, careful not to let the sweater drag along the ground, her tiny hands grasping it for all it was worth.
"I think someone's got a friend for life," Chloe said quietly, a lingering smile present over her pretty features.
"What do you mean?"
"Has anyone ever told you how great you are with her?"
"Mmm...once or twice," he offered, briefly smirking, as he continued to avoid her gaze, throwing a few mindless weeds in to feed the flame once again.
"You're being modest, aren't you?"
"Who, me?"
"You have her heart all the way. No questions asked."
"I have two more waiting for me at home," he reasoned. "But she's-"
"Two more? Really?"
"Contrary to what you may or may not believe, my wife is not repulsed by the sight of me, like a certain someone else just happens to be."
"I never said that."
"No, but you're thinking it."
"And how would you know?"
"You're just one big puzzle, aren't you?"
"Maybe."
"Look, can you watch the girls for a little while?"
Chloe stood up, her mouth set in a tight line. "What?"
"I'll be right back, alright?"
"Oh no, mister. You're staying here."
"I'm sorry?"
"You heard me. I am not going to be left without something to defend myself with," she hissed. "In case you forgot, I possess absolutely no magical abilities."
"Yeah, that just completely slipped my mind," he quipped, raising his eyebrows in a sarcastic gesture. "If the bears come, give me a holler."
"Bears?"
"I'm joking," he whispered. "I just want to see where exactly we're-"
"We're in the middle of nowhere. How vague can you possibly get?"
"Chloe, if I'm going to earn the other half of your trust, it's better late than never. And this- this is something that could just save our lives."
"What? Outsmart them- her?"
"Well, one of us certainly isn't being levelheaded about this, are they?"
"And now that you mention it? I still can't figure you out either."
"What's to figure out?"
"I don't even know anything about you. If I'm going to be traveling with you this long, shouldn't I get a little more background information?"
"It would take way too long."
"Why-"
"I've lived more than one hundred seventeen years," he concluded nonchalantly, as he gently brushed a few flakes of dust off the legs of his pants.
"You're joking, right?"
"No. I mean, you could ask my other half, but unfortunately he's no longer at liberty to strike up a conversation."
"Cole-"
"Please....just watch my daughter, alright? As long as she's safe, nothing else matters."
"And I'm just along for the hell of it," she softly muttered under her breath, as she watched him walk off into the darkness, her hands threatening to clench themselves into fists at her sites. "Dammit, Chloe. At times, you really can be so stupid. He's married, and I've- dammit. Snap out of it!" She pulled her arms protectively around her small frame then, immediately shrugging off the sudden indifference she felt, as she headed back to the cave.
**********
"Would you stop doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Pacing back and forth like a madwoman," Phoebe Halliwell declared, somewhat annoyed, as she carefully tucked a strand of long hair carefully behind one ear- her slender frame kneeling carefully to the ground.
"And what exactly do you hope to find down there?" her half sister returned, rolling her eyes.
"Footprints?" Melinda suggested hopefully.
"Clues."
"Do you even know if this is really ancient Egypt? Because just in case you're wondering, neither of us has actually lived in the time period before."
"Thank you, Paige. Silly me, I had no idea."
"Sarcasm," she observed. "Great. Nice touch."
"Look, if we follow this path, it should hopefully lead us somewhere."
"You mean, besides standing near a pile of nothing? If I'm not mistaken, the nothing seems to go on for miles."
"Not necessarily."
"How do you figure?"
"You could have easily stayed back at the house. No one forced you to-"
"Oh really?"
"Look, the important thing is, you're here to help. And as someone who is in need of help right now, believe me I'm entirely grateful."
"Yeah, and I still don't think you realize just how many messes Cole's gotten us into since you met him."
"Paige, you weren't around when I met him. How could you possibly-"
"Oh, believe me, I have my sources."
"Aunt Phoebe, I think it's too dark to see much of anything," Melinda volunteered, as she tiredly strained her eyes against the deep blackness closing in on them.
"That was quick," Paige observed, shrugging, as her eyes briefly searched the sky.
"Time difference?" Phoebe noted. "It was already deep into the hours of the evening....well, actually...night, to be more specific."
"And I'm still not picking up on anything in sensing-"
"So try harder," her sister protested impatiently.
"You know, Grams already told us there's nothing we can do. It's not like us being here is making any impact at all. In fact, we'd probably be just as well off if we were invisible. If she says he's meant to take care of this evil on his own, I'd say it's worth a shot to let him fight his own demons. No pun intended, of course."
"Grams only knows what they told her."
"But he contacted his father- not you. That has to say something to you, right there. He doesn't want to drag you into this."
"He doesn't, or you don't?" she countered, abruptly coming to a halt, as she nearly clashed face to face with the other Charmed One.
"It's not up to me, is it?"
"No. It really isn't."
"You love him this much?" she finally asked, cocking her head to one side, as she glanced long and hard at her, her expression softening.
"What kind of a question is that?"
"You know what I mean."
"Yes. I love him. I don't even have to doubt it....think it....because I know it. He's what makes me complete. It's as simple as that. Without him, I'm just a woman with these powers...striving to make a difference in the world- not really working toward any kind of goal, you know? I'm just there, and I fight evil because I have to. But with him? I've already made that difference. I can be at peace within myself, because I know we trust each other with our lives."
"It still doesn't answer our little problem on why he went of his own free will in the first place. Something must have drawn him in."
"As long as he's with Alex, I know they'll do just fine."
"But he couldn't protect her before, could he?"
"We dealt with The Dark well over a year ago, Paige. It doesn't matter anymore. She was vanquished, and that's that. No more, end of story...forgetting it ever happened."
"Okay, what the hell is that?"
"What are you talking about?"
"We were looking for footsteps, and now you can hear them," Melinda spoke up, smiling. "Kind of creepy. I wonder who it is, Aunt Phoebe."
Sure enough, the noise could be heard upon the solid ground, the sand having dried up like bits of lifeless clay. They appeared hesitant at first, as if the owner was being a little too cautious in step, easily growing closer by the minute. Phoebe prepared herself in fighting stance, placing both hands into extremely tight fists before her. Paige pulled her niece against her, as she fell somewhat behind her sister, her eyes widening as the feet picked up their overwhelming intensity.
"If that's the evil, you do realize we don't stand a chance, right?" Paige mouthed to her, nervously offering a laugh.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Phoebe returned, her body growing more tense, as the figure approached. Clothed in a long, hooded beige robe, they were fairly tall in height, the material easily shading the countenance, leaving their mysterious opponent in a veil of mystery, still very much unrevealed. When he saw them, he immediately put out a fairly strong hand, as if he wanted to make a slight attempt at obtaining their full attention. But before he knew what had hit him, he fell to the ground in a large heap. Muttering curses deeply under his breath, Phoebe wasted no time in positioning herself directly on top of him, her arm arched back, as her left hand tugged agressively about his hood. "Who are you, and why are you following us?" she whispered, as she bent to look deep into the eyes of their assailant.
"Well, for starters, I guess you could say I expected a friendlier welcome," the voice quipped, as a pair of strong hands gently gripped her waist, offering a slight wince in response to his injury. His scruffy profile shot her a painful smile, as his blues continued to linger on hers a bit longer, his eyebrows raised in a rather light manner.
"Oh God," she breathed, as she immediately flung her arms around him, her face touching the roughness of his cheek, a single tear rolling down her pretty face. "Cole."
"Phoebe," he whispered, as he softly ran a hand through her hair, longing to feel her again, as his lips met hers in a quiet gesture, his other hand hesitantly tracing the side of her face rather gingerly.
"Great. Now, do you think we can break them apart long enough, before the wench tries to come and get us?"
"Aunt Paige, it's Uncle Cole," Melinda exclaimed, her face beaming with a small smile.
"Naturally," her aunt drawled, rolling her eyes. "I've never seen Phoebe throw herself at anyone that much- literally."
"Nice to see you too, Paige," he uttered, extending a rather sarcastic grin.
"The robe?" Phoebe questioned, as she fingered a patch of it lightly within her grasp, a confused expression mounting upon her features.
"I found it," he explained. "Thought it might help in not giving me away too much."
"Well, it worked," Paige told him. "We almost thought you were the real deal. Good going, Slick."
"Slick?"
"Look, the point is, you still don't do well in disguise. Not your strong point, if I may say so."
"And you have no idea how much I've missed these little chats of ours," he sided, his laughter displaying a touch of annoyance on her part.
"Oh really? Me too."
"For your information, I found one just like you back there. Matter of fact, you may want to check to see if you're related."
"What are you-"
"Two others were pulled in with Ally and I. Ally's teacher, Miss Frankl- Chloe....and Ally's friend, Catrina....who...should, probably be well on her way to getting her college degree by now."
"Do they...I mean..." Phoebe started, her expression revealing a sense a worry, as it calmly creased her brow.
"Mom says they shouldn't know who we are," Melinda filled in. "It's against the rules, remember?"
"Not entirely," Cole countered, shaking his head, as Phoebe quickly lifted herself off of him, extending a head to help him to his feet. Brushing off the robe, he easily slipped out of it, revealing his white t-shirt and jeans once again, as he uttered a sigh of pure relief. "That thing was killing me."
"You said something, didn't you?" his wife returned quietly.
"I had to. A demon attacked me, and Chloe saw me using my powers. I didn't exactly have a choice in the matter."
"What demon?"
"I don't know. Before I knew it, he was gone. Blue lips...tall...apparently very pissed off..."
"Your usual run of the mill demon then," Paige observed, shrugging. "So what did you do this time?"
"Is Alex safe?" Phoebe pressed, her eyes finding his once again.
He nodded. "She's with Chloe and Catrina back at the cave."
"And you left them, because?"
"I need to find out where the-"
"He needs to find the evil madwoman," Paige elaborated. "You know, to stop this whole thing, before someone else nearly succeeds in destroying the world again?"
"How are the twins?"
"They're with your father. They're fine," Phoebe assured him, as she tightly squeezed his hand. "He said you tried contacting him- or at least...he somehow...picked up on your presence or something. I'm not too clear on that part."
"He came?"
"Yep. Just in time too. Grams seemed okay with it, so-"
"Does she know anything? I mean, about the curse?"
"Apparently, only what you do...or....don't...what do you know?"
"Once we get back to the cave, I'll explain everything, I promise."